Improvement in rotary knitting-machines



UNITED STATES ysinner W. PARK ANyD EDGAR 1PATENTf OFFICE# S.- ELLSLQF IMPROVEMENT IN I no'TARi IKN ITT'I Nc-MAQFIIN l 1 `Specificationformingpart-of'letters'latentNo.15,492, August 5', Q56.:y n'

.To ilalvlwhom it may concern..-

Renssfelaer and lState of New York, have jointly invented. certain new and usefullln-` prove'ments in Rotary Knitting-h/Iachin esv for Making'Ribbed Work; and wedo hereby declaro that the following isa full, clear; and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had tothe annexed drawings, making a part of this' specication. i y

Instead of employing together an annular anda radial series of hooked needles in knitting' common tubular ribbed Work, wee'niploy.

two annular series of such needles, the barbs of the needles of each series being turned outwardvand the two series so arranged to-v getherthat the needles of' one set are ,alo/ng` side and parallel and'pointin the,opposite'l direction to lthose o the other. series; `but these two'series may be of equal or of slightly different diameters, and maybe concentric or a little eccentric to eachother, andthe needles of either one or of both of the sets may slide endwise or be immovable in' their re'- spective cylinders, and theknit fabric may be drawnoilv through either the large or the small series of needles.

Inrthe annexed drawings,Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of our improved niachine, the needles of each series being stationary. The series of different diameters are placed eccentrically together, and the knit fabric drawn o throughvthe largeJ series. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section at land plan of the partsbelow the lineY Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an incomplete vertical section of our improved maehineLas shown in Fig. l lat the line Z Z in Fig. 2, andv an elevation'of-` the in;`

terior on the rightdiand side of said line. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, V8, and 9 are elevations of the outside of such successive portions of the two series of needles of Figs. 12,.and 3asy are not shown in Fig. 1. 10 is a projection of Ia ring which we employ tohold the needles in place on the cylindrical needle-blocks. Figs. 1l and 12 are plans of a part of the needle-blocks with the ringshown in Fig. 10 applied thereto. Figjl isa straightened ele-v` vation ofthe outsidevofthe twol annular se; riesof needles, as, if the two needle-cylinders i. were opened at oneplaceand thens `readv out Be it known that we, SIDNEYW. FAKK andi. EDGAR S. ELLS, bothof Troy, in the county of Straight, the` sels being of diEeren-t` iameters 'and placedtogethe'r eccentrically, thence-,-

dles of both series ixedandA theweh drawn off throughv the :small series.v Fig.. letjisI a fstraightened elevation of tlie outsideofthe two series vof needles, the sets vrbeing'"otdifferent diameters and eccentric, the needles of Vthe small series slidingy and those of the' large set stationaryandv the web drawn lollthrongh the large series. Fig. 15 is another straight-Y cned elevation o f the outside of the 1two series of needles, the two setsvbeingof different diameters-and concentric, the 'needles 1fthe large series sliding andthosc'f'of the lsgnall setv fixed, and the web drawn o through-.the large series. Fig. 16is also a `straightened elevation of the outside of thetwo. series of needles, the two. .seriesbeing- 'of equal `dia1neter andcpncentric and theneedlesoff both sets sliding.;y Fig.17-is a.v plan .ofthel two'se-Y ries of needles, the sets being of different diameters and concentric. -llignlzisalsoa plan of the two series ofvneedles, th y being of equal diameter andv concentric;` and Fig 19 is'an incomplete sectionalelevation of our improved machine,lthe two seriesof needles being of equal diameter' and concentric, the needles of both sets-sliding.

o I The sameletters refer to like partsin all the figures, andthe 'directions4 of motionI of the parts are indicated vbyv the arrows thereon. We will firstA particularly vdescribe the construction and operation of our improved ma* chine when the two annular series'of needles arn of different diameters and placed eccen- I trically together and the Vneedles'oboth re volving series stationary, thev knit fabric heing draw-11 off through the largeyseries., and

insn'ch description shall only-referto Figs. 1,2,3,4.,5,.6,7,8,9,10,and 11.0

is the bed-piece for .all the parts.' yLjis fa toothed wheel fastened to or formingfa part of thehollowf needle-block'A P-,to which thev needles -c c, 'which compose the large series, are attached.- This cylindrical needle-block P bears upon the shoulder W of the bed.- piece and turns around the stationary hollow stud or cylinder K', which latteris made hollow for the web X (seen in 'blue lines) topas's 'through and is fastened toror forms' a parti-ei the bedlplece I. .Themoller Vfheld' by 'the' support U', kee s the needle cylinder P against the shoul er NV. 'The hooktneedles c c are an'anged upon the cylinder or ring P parallel to its axis at 'equal distancesapart, with their barbs turned outward andthe ends of the needles all projecting. equally `land about twice the length of their barbs beyond its top edge, so as to form a concentric ring of needles like'that most generally employed in rotary machines for knitting plain work. The needles are secured in place on the needle-block P in any suitable manneryas by the common inode of leading and holding by. clamp-plates, or, better, by inserting the bent butt-ends of the needles into holes p and the .bodies inA longitudinal grooves o o in the needle-block P, and there securing them by the clamp-plates R, or, more conveniently*` by the sliding ringl A, the construction and advantageous use of which will be hereinafter fully set forth. This series of needles c c we call the first set; and as the web is drawn oft through it tlic rows of stitches which project' on the outside of thc tubular web are made on this series. f

L is a wheel of the saine siz'e and number ot teeth as the wheel L, and is fastened to or forrnsa part of the cylindrical block O, to which the needles d d, which compose the smaller series, are fastened. The needle- `block O turns smoothly on the lower part of the stationary spindle K, being kept in place thereon by the Shoulder W and acollet V -an-d screw Av, or in some other suitable manner. The needles d d are fastened to the block O with their barbs turned outward and otherwise in the same form andv manner as the needles c c to the block P, and the concentric ring of needles thus formed extends below the lower edge ot' the-block O about the saine distance that the needles ce project above the top of the block P. The series of needles d cl may be aboutone-eighth of an inch less in diameter than the series c c'in knitting coarse woolen stocking work; Abut this difterence must vary accordingr to the closeness and fineness of the fabric to bemade. This series of needles dd we call the second series or set, and the rows of stitches which project on the inside of the web are formed'thereon. The spindle K is supported at J in the arm J ofthe post J in such manner that the axis of motion of the second set ot needles d l shall oe parallel to that of the first set, and so that the second setcan be arranged concentric with the first, or eccentric therewith to anydesired small extent, the degree of eccentricity allowable being limited by-the fine,

ness and closeness of the fabric to be made. In the drawings, Fig. 2, the two series are about as far eccentric as is allowable in kuitting coarse wooien stocking-azzJ 'ihe second series of needles is also sw. bjsiuling the spindle li and clamping it in its socket at J" at such distance from the first set that the needles of the second set, pointing in the oppesite direction to those of' thetrst, lap alongsidc those of the first set about oneeighth of an inch more than the length of a needle barb or hook."L j n M is the driving-shaft arranged parallel to the axes of theneedle-cylinders and supported by the bcd-pieceI and arin J N N are wheels of equal diameter and number of`tceth fastened to the shaft M and 'geared with the wheels L li', so that the first and second sets of needles are surely revolved simultaneously together with exactness. The wheel N is made adjustable on M,`so that the needles of the second set can be convenientlyiset between or opposite those of the. first set at any desired point The two sets of needles are arranged properly in this respect in Fig. 2.

We will now proceed to describe the construction and arrangement of the appliances used in connection with these combined sets of needles.

E is a common sinker-wheel supported in an adjustable manner, as usual in rotary knitting-machines, upon the post T. This sinker carries the yarn z' (seen in reddishyellow lines) under the barbs and to thecnds of the first series of needles c c, leavingr eliough yarn to form new loops on bot-li sets. (See Figs. 2 and 9.) The sinker E is placed where the needles of' the inner series are nearly opposite those of the outer set, so that the blades of the sinker can act with the greatest free doin, and a little before the place where the two series are nearest together.

F is an ordinary fixed cam-presser mounted on the post "i" to depress the barbs of the first 1 set of' needles c c.

G is a thin common cam-presser supported on the post Tg, placed after the presser Fand arranged between the two series of needles to depress the barbs ot' the second set.

D is a web-guide fastened to the bed-piece or to the hollow stud K and arranged close to the inside of the inner or second set .of needles, but outside the web as it is drawn oft. This Webguide acts in opposition to the tension on the knit fabric, and is so formed and arranged as to first so slide the web as to cast off the old loops y y (seen in Carmine-red lines) from the outer series of needles c c, as seen in Figs. 'l and 4, and thc'n so as to carry the old loops q/ yof the second set of needles above or past the yarn e', as seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and, finally, so as to keep the old loops ot the inner series of needles above-the points of the barbs.;` j of these needles while or at the time the yarn for the new loops is passing under these barbs preparatory to their de pression by the earn G.

l; isacam fastened to the plate or collet V to spring the ends of the second set of' needles outward ai flic time the old loops thereon commence rising, in order to insure the pasf sage of all the old cast-oft stitches up on the inside of the inner set of needles. The two series of needles should be near together at the place where the web begins to rise, so that the web will draw hard on the inner set of needles to also help bring their oldeast-off stitchesto the inside of their1 ends before the loops :hereof begin to rise. W'e also genen' ally d raw the web tight just before it begins to rise by means et' the lobe b of l in eenneetion with-title elevated part of I), so that the old loops of the second set of needles shall be surely at the ends of the needles before and at the time these loops begin to rise; also the needles of the second set should not be opposite to but should alternate with those et' the first set where the web begins to rise, so that -the stitehesfof the outer set shall certainly not interfere with the needles of the inner series as the web rises.

(l is a thin guide or sinker-blade arranged inunediatelyin front of and in connection with the presser G and so near to the needles of the inner series that the points of their barbsjj slide along` the outside of it, as seen in Figs.- 2 and 5, in order to insure the passage of the yarn which to forni the new loops under the barbs ol' the needles ofthe ses ond series before they reaeh thc presser G.

lll is a eonnnon cast-oft" wheel mounted in an adjustable manner, as usual, upon the post 'U to help cast. ott' the old stitches from the second set of needles when the tension on the web is insutlieient therefor The web is drawn olf and the proper tension attained thereon for knitting evenly, either by hanging a weight iu the common manner to the revolving web as it extends from the ma chine, or by such Combined tension-rollers and take-up ineehanisnis as are now in use. l After the loops ot' the web have been prop` orly put or formed on the needles by hand and the vcontinuous yarn connected there with a-nd a woightora draw-otf mechanism at tached to the web, on turning the shaft )l in the direction ol' the arrow thereon the successive operation ot' the various parts of the machine is as follows, to wit: As the two series of needles simultaneously revolve together in the direction indieated by their arrows, the yarn first fed by the sinker E under the barbs and to the ends of the needles ol' the first series, leaving enough yarn between these needles outside the second series to t'orin new loops on both sets. 'lhe old loops on the needles ot' the second set are then drawn tight into the ends of these nee dies bythe joint; a-eton on the web of the lobe b' of tho'eain l and the part ot' l), provided the general tension on the web notalways sullicient to insure this result'. lhen the web immediatelyv begins to rise on the guide l), at whiehtinie the eain l, it' employed,springs out the ends ot' the needles of the second set to fully insure the passage of all their old east-olif loops upon the inner side of these neeY dies. Next', before t he old loopson thelirstset of needles meet the barbs thereof, these barbs are depressed bythe cani F, so that as the web rises to the ends of these needles these old loops are slid over the barbs and east ott around the yarn e inthe ends of these needles, thus completing the new loops of the Vfirst set. ends of the first set is drawn tight by the webA being earried still higher by theguide l), in order to draw the yarn close to the needles of the second set, and also to cause the old loops on the second set to, slide above or past the yarn before this yarn passes under the barbs of the second set. Next', the points pass along the outside of the thin sinler'C, and the looped yarn where it extends from around the needles of the first set through their last east-ofi" stitches or loops to along the outside of the needles of the second set is pressed down by this siiiker, so that the yarn is eertainly under the barbs of the needies of the second set when these barbs arrive at the ean1-presser G, while the old loops of the second set are yet 'held up above the points of these barbs by the action of the guide D on the web, whereupon these barbs are depressed by the cani G,-a.nd the guide l) allows the tension en the web to slide these.- old loops outside the barbs and to east'thei n needles, thus completing' the newloops of die second series of needles, the east-off wheed ll i being used in knitting small tubes when rei quired to insure this casting-off of the oid i loops. Then the needles are again ready for the yarn.

instead of Causing the needles of the. seeond set to lap alongside those of the first. so that the points of the barbs of the second are below the ends of the needles of the stset, as shown in the drawings, the needles of the second set may havelonger barbsl than those @t the first, so that the points of these j long barbs shall be far enough abovethe ends of the needles of the first set for a presser placed above the ends of the first set to act thereon atthe saine' time that the ends of the needles of the second set are below the points of the barbs o f the lirst, or the lengths' of the barbs of thetwo sets of needles may be equal, and the points of the barbs of each setextend a little beyond the ends of the "other set if the web is drawn down tight and the barbs of the first set are depressed before the web begins to rise. We prefer tothus arrange the points of the barbs of the second set above the ends of the needles ot' the tirst when the 'two series of stationaryneedles are equal in diameter.

lhe parts which, according to our invention must .necessarily be combined with the two annular sets of hooked needles to knit -d work, whether the sets' are bt' equal erent diameters, or are placed concentrie or eeeentrie to eaeh other, or whether thef wf iles of both or ot' either ot the sets slide.A or are stationary, or whether the huit fabi-ie is drawn off through or the yarn lirstI fed to either set of needles are the sinher l or its eeuivalent, the presser l? or its eipiivalent,`

After this the looped yarn in thel of the barbs of the needles of the seeonds'et off around the yarn now in the ends the se the presser (l or its eouixfiilcnt, and the webguide l) or its equivalent..

'lo avoid misamn'ehension, we will state that we here consider any device, arrange ment of parts, or use of means by which the yarn for the new loops can be carried or lett under the barbs ot' either setl at the proper time and place and in suitable quantity asan equivalent ot the sinkerll. Foi-instance, instea-d of using' a suiker-wheel, a. device may generally be employed which continually takes up the yarn within ilscll' and leaves it crimped under the barbs,vor, when the ncedles slide, the yarn may sometimes be sunk between the needles by a wheel, which has thin blades arranged parallel to its axis of motion, the needles being slid endwisc to draw the barbs over the yarn while the yarn is sunk by the blades, or sometimes the yarn may be tirst drawn in front ol` the barbs close to the bodies ot the needles and then sunk and carried under the barbs by movable blades, or, it the needles slide. by stationary sinlers or stops; and by equivalents of the pressers l" and trl and web-guido l), we here lmean any devices which sha-ll fultill the respective o'liiccs ot these paris.

The arrangements ot' the sinker C, in connection with the presser of the second set of needles, and the cam l, to springr ont the ends ot' the needles of the second set, as dc- Scribed, are each generally of more or less importance, in securing the very best oper ation of the machine, according as the needles of the sets slide or are fixed, or as the sets are of equal or dill'fercnt diameters, or are cccentrie or concentric with each other The operation of our improved machine, when' the needles d d off the second set slide and'those of thc iii-st set are stationary, is shown by Fig, 14, the web being drawn ott through the rst set oi' needles (f t: in the direction pointed by the arrow r. The yarn is fed by the sinker E under the barbs of the first set of needles. The web is drawn tight by the partsl) and le. The ends ot the needles d d are pressed outward by the cam l5. 'lhe barbs of the outer set of needles are depressed by the cam F, and the web is raised by the guide D, so as to cast ottl thefold loops of' the first set and to carry the old loops of the second set above the yarn, all as when the needles ot' both sets are stationary. When the old loops of the second set ot' needles have passed above the yarn, the needles of the second set rise, so as to keep the points of their barbs opposite the space which is between the old loops and the yarn until this space is as large as itcan well be made, when the barbs of the second set are pressed bythe cam G,acting on the points of the barbs where they extend above the ends ot' the needles ot the first set,whereupon the guide l) allows the tension onthe web to draw down and cast off the old loops of vthe second set, a castof wheel H being used, when necessary, to

down n n til the points of their barbs are about one-eighth ot an inch below 'the ends of the needles c c, when --the needles arcready for the yarn again.

In Fig. 14 the two sets of needles are placed eccentrically together; but the operation is substantially the same, whether the series are of' dilterent diameters and concentric or eccentric, or are of equal dianietcis The operation, when the needles of the vfirst y set slide and those of the Second ar`e fixed, is

shown by Fig. l5, the web being drawn olf through the first set in the direction pointed by thearrow lr'. In this case the yarn is fed, as usual, upon the first set of needles c c, when the web hangs at. the ends otthe needles of the second set. 'lhen the barbs of the first setare depressed by the cam F, and these needles slide down until the points ofthcir barbs have passed under and beyond tho old loops thereon. .Then thc web is drawn tight, it' beneficial, and the second set of' needles sprungr outward, and the cam D raises the web so as to cast ol'l' the old loops of the first sel; and to carry the old loops of the SecondV set above the yarn, all in the same manner as when the needles ot' both sets are fixed. Tl en..

the cam l) raises the web still higher and! Vhe ti rst set of needles slide up with but a little below the web, until the yarn is drawn tight and passes above the points of the barbs of'.

the second set. Then the presser (-l acts on the points of the barbs of the second set, where they extend above the ends of the needles of the first, and the guide l) allows the tension of the web to slide down and cast olif the old loops of the second set, the needles of the first also sliding: down in advance of the web, and the castani wheel ll being employed whenever beneficial in easti ng olf the old loops of the second set, whereupon the needles oi' the first set assume their position for receiving the yarn again.

Fig'. 1G shows'thc operation when the new dies ol' both sets slide, the web beine,r drawn oil. in the direction pointed. by the arrow r`'. ln such ease the yarn is tirst fed under the barbs ot' the needles e 1^ ol the lirstset when the old loops are below the points of their barbs. 'lhen the barbsl o`t` the needles c c are pressed and these needles slide down, while thc-guide l) sustains the web unt-il their old loops are cast ott andthe yarn is drawndown tight below the old loops ot' the second set.; the needles d d. being then slid down, so that the points oi' their barbs are below the yarn. Then the needles of the second setrise until the points ot their barbs are opposite the space which is between 'the ohl loops thereof and the, new yarn, when txese barbs are pressed by the camtl. lhen the needles l rl 0l' the second sel rise tuitil their old loops are 'east ol't and then descend beiore the yarn is again fed to the needles. When both selsof needles slide, thcl guide l) may be made of a continuous, uniform height,and maybe fastinsure this result, and the needles d d slide l cned to or forni a part of the needledilock l,

presser' l1r,'l `ig.nl7,`) whenever such other kind of suiker-or pressersshallbe best adapted to any desired particular arrangeni"entv .of r the twoannular'seriesof needles-f When fthe two series of needles are arranged concentric with each other, as many sets of appliances-,each set consisting of a sinker, twopressers, and 'a webglnde l,),.eanl be .employed as there is room for in the circumference of the needle-eylinders,so

that'according to the' size of these'eylinders,

two, tl1:ree,four, ormor'etthreads of yarn can be fed-to. the needles atthe same time, .thereby proportionatelyifnereasing theproduc'tiveness of the machine. Since the guide D always acts to slide or retain' the web iny opposition to the tension of the web, when the knit fabric is drawn off through thesecond-series of needles the tension of the web will dofwhat was done by the web-guide, andthegweb-guide willvfnliill the partwhich-fthetension on the web'perfm'ined when the web wasdrawn oii` through the ii rst series.l V'lhis converse action of the tension of the web and tlreweb-guide l) isushown by Fig. 13, where the needles'of both sets are lixed-and the web is'drawn of through the second series of needles d d in.

the direction pointed by the arrow q. In this ease the web-guide l) is of course fastened tothe hollow support-which the needle-` blockI for the-'second series 4of needles d (Z must now have. In operation the guide l) yfirst holds the web down to the lower ends of the-needles d d. while the yarn is fed under the barbs of the first set e c.

the earn lf, and the `guide I) allows the tension ol' the web to-slide their old loops over,

these barbs and oil' the needles, a cast-off wheel ll being employed, if desirable,to'in`'.'

lsure this result. Then the yarn 2 is pushed down by the sinkerCtoinsui-e the separation of the yarn from the old loops of the second, and thereby theI passage of the yarn under the barbs of this second set, whilethese old loops remain above the points of these barbs, whereupon these barbs are pressed by the cam G, .and the guide l) presses down on the web, causing the old loops of the second set to slide over the barbs and voft` the needles. '.llhen thc needles are again ready for the yarn. The yarn can, tl'ioug'h' sometimes `with much diiiiculty, be at first fed under the barbs of the second set of needles, the yarn surrounding the first set; but we generally prefer to first feed .the yarn under the barbs of the needles c c of the first set, as shown in the drawings. NVhen the yarn is at first fed to the second set of needles, the form of the guide l) and the movements of the sliding .whiehring we will now describe.'

Then thebarbs of the needles of the iirst'set are pressed by.

4needles insustfof eourse: be =\'aried toaneetfthc requirements of. the I machine. fin. Such case.-. i' ,.'lheneedles maybeoinadeto Aslidein ,the needle-blocks endwse inmuy suitable manner.. Theconsti-'nelionl which we prefer. isto eut radial slots' :Z l thrmigh the lower part of the bloek- P and through` the. upper partof the blockO, and lrmgitudinal grooves. o o, equal'in depth to the diameter of a needle or theiwidth'of a slotlv, vfrom-the slots Z'Z to vthe rim o'ffthe ineedle-bloeksf (see Figs.V 1,2 and 19,) then -bend down the butt-ends of the needles at righty yai'igles to thebod-ies, and place the bodies. within the grooves o and ,the bent ven ?sthrough the slots! [,'so ars-to project on the inside of -the hollow needleblocks I'within th e' stationary cam-grooves ,1) yp, which latter .are vshaped'to give-thedcsired sliding movements vto the needles as the needle-bloeks-xrevolve,'the needles being held in place `so as to slide freely and accurately in the grooves oeand slotsl labyexternal clampplates, or more;conveniently by the sliding ring A, having a 'pa-rt a -inovable, the construction and advantageous armngementof By'v the common inode of holding needles on cylindricaly blocks by clamp-plates-when a single needle: breaks iii-knitting', several other needles-.must lie-loosened so as to become more or less displaced inren'ieving the old and inserting (a new needle, thereby occasioning vexatious delay.- 'lo avoid thisinconvenience, we provide a circular ring A`,' smooth onthe' inside and of such diameter as will justallow the ring tosurroundvthe needles whenarranged on the needle-blockV W'e secure\this ring so that it can be slid around, back or forward'on thefneedles by forming a-flangej' on the ring lo slide within guides y g, fastened to the needle-block, or in anyothersuitableinanncr. \\"e also make apart ci, of. the ringeasily removable by inak- -ing longitudinal grooves in the sidesof this part to fit. tongues in the ring and arranging a spring-catch e upon the parl. d to hook into 'the notch e'; or this piecemay benieely` fitted and secured to the ring in any othcr suitable. -v

manner. Now when a needle breaks the operative slides the ring A sothat the part d is over that needle, then slips out the pie-ee` (L, Whiehliberates only the broken needle, which needle he displaces by a new one and replaces the part u. It is not essential to the successful application of the ring A that the.

needles" should be .kept in place by the grooves o o and holes p' vp', or slots I l for the needles ina-y be properly retained in vplace'by other known means; butn'e prefer to empio)Y the grooved and drilled or'slotled needleblocks.

lVe are aware that insomerotary knittingmachines heretofore made a part oi' a slatonary cani-ring which holds and slides'ihe needles of a radial series in a revolving needleblock is made adjustable, so that whileany needle of p the series is removed the rest will v be held in place, and we know thatin other knitting-machines a part of a stationary camring which is employed to slide and keep in place' the needles of a revolving annular series is also .made movable for a like purpose; butA our modo of holding the needles of an annular series in place so that any one needle can be removed without in any manner disturbing ,ran y other needles of the series, is distinct from such devices. Itis essential to our inode 'that the ring A shall revolve with the set of needles if the set revolves in knitting or remain stationary with the series of needles il applied to'a non-revolving set, and hence thering A cannot form a part of or be fixed to any camring which may be employed to slide the needles; and it will be observed that by our inode we not only avoid the great friction which must exist between arevolving annular series of needles and a stationary holdingring, butv that on breaking' or. bendinga needle in knitting, no matter inwhat position the machine 'is stopped, the ring A,\as arranged byu s, can at once be slid around so that the movable part ashall be over the needle which must be removed Without,in thus turning the ring on the needles, moving anyof them in any manner whatever, whereas when a stationary ringencircles and holds a revolving series of needles in place, if the machine is' stopped, as usual, only that one needle which happens to be op posite to the movable part of the holdin U-ring can be removed, and as the needle which must- 'be removed will not generally beeoppo-` site to this movable part, the whole series-ot needles must be vagain turned until the defeet-ive needle is brought under this adjustable portion, and this additional movement of the needles may be inconvenient and often increase the damage occasioned by the defective needle. lllven'it` the holding cam--ring hithertoemployed'could be imfixed and slid 'around on the needles, yet this turning of the cam-ring would slide the needles vendwise in places where they should not be slid, and would perhaps do as much damage as would be occasioned by turning the-whole set of needles y In forming the annularsetsofneedles it is not essential that .the needles of either set should be arranged exactly parallel with their axesor the hooked ends of the needles of either ot' the sets or otI both sets may generally either converge toward or diverge from the lines of the axes of the series a few degrees and yet operate as herein described.

Instead oirevolving the two annular sets of needles and having all the appliances used therewith stationary, as hereinbct'orc described, the two sets of needles 'may be stational-y while these appliances, with the bobbin, travel -along the needles, the second set bein `1gsupported on a .revolving eccentric shaft when vthe two sets are not concentric; but we prefer tohavc the tw' sets of needles revolve ,and 'their appurtenances stationary.

By employing together .two annular series of hooked needles smaller-ribbed work-tubes can be knit than when a radial and an annular series ot' hooked needles are used together.

We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Combining together two annular series of hooked needles with a sinker, two pressers, and a web-guide D or its equivalent, sulgstantially as herein set forth, for use in tlc production of ribbed work, as specified,"

2. The manner of arranging the two annular sets of needles in relation to each otherthat is, arranging them together so that thc hooked ends of the needles of one set are parallel or nearly parallel with, alongside of, and pointed in theopposite direction to those of the other series', as herein'set forth.

3. Theimprovementof arranging the sinker C, substantially7 as herein described, to increase the dist-ance between the yarn and-thc old loops of the second set of needles just be'- fore the barbs of these needles are pressed.

4. The i-mprovemeutof arranging the cam Y B so as to spring out the ends ot the second set of needles, substantially as described, t'or the purpose specified. A

5. The improvement of holding the needles ofan annular series lin place on the grooved needle-block -or its equivalent by the ring A. constructed, arrangejand operating as set forth.

SIDNEY YV. PARK. EDGAR S. PILLS.

Witnesses:

JOHN-Mouais, A. F. PARK. 

